It’s a tough one to call
But if anybody can’t quite make up their mind, try watching this video clip of the old folk
Too old to run, unable to escape – they just stand there, staring at the wave as it heads towards them... waiting for it to crush them. You might just spot the panic stricken mother with the pram too.
I’ve not added it to my favourites barhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12735023

There may be some people who think the tsunami is hilarious but they aren't here. It seems completely obvious that the target is people who see everything in terms of their own convenience, of which there are billions. Not Dark Bill's best but certainly not anything to condemn either.

I have encountered anxious comments on news pages expressing concern about the availability of computer games in the aftermath of this tragedy; life imitating art, perhaps. Human nature never ceases to amaze and depress in equal measure.

I agree that I was initially a little uneasy about today's FP. But, while I admit that not everyone will find its content amusing, the targets are those described by Oxbridge above. It is in a somewhat similar vein as the Brass Eye Paedophilia Special which caused widespread outrage but was clearly aimed to mock the media and their deliberately hysterical reporting on the subject in order to shift papers.

This one is going to cause controversy but the joke is certainly not on those suffering in Japan or anyone affected by the tragedy. That much should be clear whether or not you find it funny.

OllieP,
with respect, this is not in the same league as the Brass Eye Paedophile Special, where the target was,as you say, very clearly the media. The target here seems to be selfish consumerism, and there are plenty of ways of satirising that without linking it to death and grief. Whole towns have been destroyed, FFS. This not just an issue of taste or social acceptability, it goes to the heart of what it is to be human.

Rikkor, I can understand your unease, but I agree with OllieP and Oxbridge. I think it's important to recognise that the point OllieP has just made is precisely that this sub is NOT aimed at the Japan disaster, as you seem to suggest.

As it happens I wasn't too keen on the article - I think it's too soon, and in any case it's not the most polished satire we've seen on Newsbiscuit. But I ultimately don't have a problem because the target is not the victims, and that is a key element of what we are exploring. Be reasonable's point - that there are better ways of satirising what is being satirised - is a good one. Ultimately this article may be ill-judged but I don't believe it is offensive.

I don't want to get into a slanging match, but the post could not have been coherently made unless the earthquake/tsunami/nuclear disaster had happened, therefore the joke arises directly from the tragedy, IMHO. To deny the connection when it is implicit in the post is illogical.

be reasonable, I agree that I probably shouldn't have compared this story to Brass Eye for the reasons you suggest, hence the use of the word somewhat. It was just that I couldn't think of another similar example which would support the point I was making.

I also don't want a slanging match as I, like The Paper Ostrich, am not endorsing the content of the article. It is too soon to make jokes about Japan and I reiterate I felt uneasy about it when I saw it this morning.

As has been pointed out, this is not a joke about the human suffering in Japan.
What I find offensive is when someone goes out of their way to find some tenuous connection to any tragedy so they can be "affected" more than the next man. We should ridicule anyone who gets a vicarious thrill from the news coverage; tutting and shaking their heads, safe in the knowledge that its on the other side of the world.
Saying "its disgusting" always makes me think of Mary Whitehouse going out of her way to be disgusted every night whilst mentally flicking her bean.
I once told a joke in the pub about a suicidal steam train enthusiast throwing himself on the track and being chuffed to bits. Someone was outraged because his mate had been killed by a train 15 years previously.
We still happily make jokes about a young mother dying slowly in a car wreck. At the time my (now ex)wife was upset because she was born in the same year as Di.
How big does a tragedy have to be and how old before we stop treading on eggshells?

"How big does a tragedy have to be and how old before we stop treading on eggshells?"
I guess it's all about context. If a man on his deathbed makes a joke about his situation, it might be courage in the face of adversity. If his Doctor does the same thing, it's insensitive, crass and potentially dehumanising.
As I've posted elsewhere, I did see that the target was selfish consumerism, and as I've also said elsewhere, that is a fair target - but just not in this context.
No offence intended to anyone, even darkbill.

Apologies if this front page has upset some, but I think the story is valid.

The point of the piece is 'Even in the most terrible tragedy we can imagine, over here people are still thinking stupid, trivial, selfish thoughts.' That is clearly not laughing at the Japanese, it is actually quite an intense bit of satire about us by one of the best writers ever to grace the NewsBiscuit subs board.

If this site only ever left everyone in total agreement about what was a fair target then surely it would be doing something wrong. It is gratifying that so many people care but if some are so angered that some choose not to come back then so be it.

So thanks for all the feedback; and for the fact that most of the debate has been pretty thoughtful and restrained. We will take this experience into account when picking future front pages.